The Family Goodman's Night Out
by LOSTrocker
Summary: Pre-N2N. Dan takes his family out to dinner. Raiting is for Nat's mouth.


**A/N: **One of my costumers actually inspired this. My daily job is a waitress. The other night I had a family that had this really cute baby and I asked him what his name was and lo and behold it was Gabriel. So you could probably guess what I was thinking. I had "I'm Alive" in my head the rest of the night.

**The Family Goodman's Night Out: **

By: LOSTrocker

The waitress greeted them at the entrance. "How many?"

"Three." Dan answered first.

"No, theres four." Diana corrected Dan.

"Right, sorry sweet heart." Dan apologized. "Four."

"The fourth one is for our son." Diana informed the waitressed with a smile.

"All right then, follow me." the waitress said nothing as she lead the family to a table suited for four.

"Can we have the one in the back?" Natalie suggested. She figured that way they would be out of sight.

"Natalie." Dan warned.

Natalie rolled her eyes. Oh, how she loved these family outings.

Natalie went to go sit next to her mom but Diana stopped her. "Thats for your brother."

Gabe stuck out his tongue out at Natalie. She glared at the empty spot. Of course, Gabe would get to sit next to mommy dearest. Natalie took her spot next to her dad.

"Okay, what can I get everyone to drink?" the waitress brought out her pad and pen ready to take orders.

"Can I get a soda mom?" Gabe asked her.

"I don't know baby, you're getting ready to go bed."

The waitress tried not to look confused but it was very hard not to. She wasn't use to her costumers talking to thin air. Dan could see the taken aback expression on the poor girl's face. He gave out his order to get her attention away from his wife. "I'll take a sweat tea please."

"Can I have a beer?" Natalie asked her.

The waitress laughed. "I'm going to need to see some ID." The little girl was very amusing.

"Natalie Goodman, one more word and I'm taking you back home." Dan warned in whisper.

"Great! Promise?" Natalie sighed and ended up getting a water.

"I'll take one sweat tea and a lemon aid."

"That still has sugar in it." Natalie informed her mother.

"I'm older so I can get a lemon aid if I want to! Can I mom?"

"Sure sweetie, lemon aid please."

Without question the waitress took down their orders. She would've loved to know who the lady was talking too but it wasn't something her boss would've looked kindly upon. So, she left and came quickly back with their drinks.

"Wow! That was fast!" Gabe complimented.

Diana laughed. "My son thinks your a very good waitress."

"Oh, well thank you." the waitress replied still wondering where this son was. She was starting to think this lady was nuts. However, she took the compliment non the less. "Do you guys need menus or do you know what you want all ready?"

Natalie mimicked Gabe. "You're such a good waitress."

"Natalie," this time Diana warned her.

"You said one more word and you were taking me home." Natalie told her father. "Promises broken yet again. Surprise. Surprise."

The waitress thought the family was rather interesting. At least, that was one of the nicer words she used. After she got their food orders she quickly went back into the kitchen. Once their food was brought out, things went back to normal. Dan hated wasting money on a extra plate of food but it was better than having his wife get upset and causing a scene. Discussions of school and work went around their table. Gabe boasted about another A as did Natalie but Natalie wasn't surprised when his A got more prise then hers.

Diana was about to share her story of befriending a mouse she found in the kitchen this morning but someone through something at her. At first she thought it was her daughter. "Natalie!"

"What? I didn't do anything!" Natalie came to her own defense since she knew no one else would.

"I'm sorry," a female voice said from the next table.

Diana turned to find a family of two: a young mother and a little boy. Diana smiled. "Aw, Dan look."

Dan glanced up only a second. He was a cute little thing. That little boy reminded him of another one that he knew. Dan could feel the tears stinging his eyes. Without another word he went back to eating. It didn't help matters much when Diana tried to find out the baby's name.

"Gabriel." the young mother proudly answered.

Natalie began to sink lower and lower into her seat. Here it goes, she thought. She looked at the exit door in the back and wondered if she moved now if she could get a quick get away.

"Really?" Diana questioned. "Thats my son's name too. Look at that Gabe."

Gabe smiled. He liked that his name was so popular. "Hi baby." Gabe waved at him.

Diana waved at the young mother's Gabriel. The baby waved back and giggled. "Baby!"

The young mother looked to see where her son was looking but found no baby, just an empty spot. Dan heard that and decided that now was a good time to go. He got up. "All right, whose is ready for some ice cream?"

"Me!" Gabe jumped up but in the process knocked over his drink. "Aw man!"

"Gawd! Mom!" The drink that Diana knocked over went all over Natalie's new jeans.

Baby Gabe started to cry then. "Great!" the younger mother hissed. "Please, please shush. Shush."

"I'm really sorry." Diana apologized.

"It's okay. It's going to be fine." Dan assured. "Nothing some ice cream won't cure."

"I don't want no fucking ice cream." Natalie fussed. Needless to say her mouth got a few stares.

Dan ushered his family out. He had a hard time getting Diana away from the crying baby. "But Gabe is crying."

By this time he was.

"Thats not our Gabriel." Dan gave his wife to his daughter. "Take her to the car. I have the bill."

Natalie did as told but not without an eye roll.

"Sorry about the mess." Dan apologized up front at the resister. "I'll leave a good tip for the waitress." In which he did.

As promised, Dan got his family some ice cream. The ride home was silent as the gave. It seemed that ice cream couldn't really solve everything. Dan had a feeling that this would be their last outing for awhile.

**END. **

**A/N (continued): **Yes I did have the little baby see Diana's Gabe. Gabe is not alive in this. However, they say that little babies are super sensitive and can see things. So I just had him see Gabe's ghost if you would to make it more interesting.


End file.
